Covid: Welsh business support extended to end of August
- Published
The support ranges between £1,000 and £25,000
Businesses in Wales still unable to open due to Covid restrictions, or whose income is severely reduced, will be able to apply for another set of business support for July and August.
The Welsh government describes it as the final package of Economic Resilience Fund emergency support.
However it acknowledges that may change if further restrictions are needed to control the pandemic.
The fund opens on 13 July for two weeks.
Firms can check their eligibility from next week.
Ice rinks, night clubs, centres that run school visits are some of the organisations that can apply.
The support ranges between £1,000 and £25,000, depending on size and circumstance.
To qualify businesses have to prove that their turnover is at least 60% lower than pre-pandemic levels.
Opposition parties welcomed the additional support, but the Conservatives said it was "once again regrettable" that the announcement was made through the media rather than the Welsh Parliament.
Plaid Cymru said it also hoped this would be the last package off support, but that it hoped Welsh ministers would intervene again should the situation demand it.
The announcement was made by Economy Minister Vaughan Gething
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said the Welsh government had "pulled every lever" it had to back Welsh businesses.
"We've provided in excess of £2.5bn funding to Welsh businesses, in a package that has been designed to complement and build on the support provided by the UK government," he said.
"We've also extended our 100% business rate relief package until the end of this financial year.
"This targeted approach, focussed particularly on backing small businesses and Welsh communities, has helped protect in excess of 160,000 Welsh jobs which might otherwise have been lost."
The Welsh government also said that it intends to set up a Business Development and Recovery Fund to offer match funding to firms that want to relaunch, develop or grow after the pandemic.
Welsh Conservative economy spokesman Paul Davies said: "Any additional support for Welsh businesses is welcome but it is once again regrettable that such a statement is given to the press before the Welsh Parliament."
"As we've seen with previous business support announcements, the devil is always in the detail, and the minister should address parliament today to outline the size of the support, the qualifying criteria and his plans for a recovery fund," he added.
Luke Fletcher, who speaks for Plaid Cymru on economic matters, also welcomed the announcement.
"We share the government's hope that this will be the final package of support," he said.
"However, if things take a turn for the worse we hope to see Welsh government step in."